Crime Numbers
Crime statistics for Fayette County is provided by the Kentucky State Police (KSP). The most recent crime data for the state show that Fayette County recorded 5,688 violent crimes and 12,543 property crimes in 2018. Compared to crime figures for 2014, the violent crime rate for the county jumped by 14.2% while its property crime rate declined by the same margin.
A closer look at reported crimes for 2018 shows there were 26 murders, 614 rapes, 4,608 assaults, and 440 robberies in the county. Fayette County also recorded 1,603 burglaries, 9,690 larcenies, 1,200 motor vehicle thefts, and 50 arsons in the same year. The latest five-year crime trend for the county indicates that the only crime rates to fall between 2014 and 2018 are robbery (25.8%), burglary (36.8%), and larceny (12%). In the same period, other crime rates rose: murder (23.8%), rape (67.8%), assault (15.2%), motor vehicle theft (17.2%), and arson (8.7%).
Criminal Records
The Kentucky State Police (KSP) provides criminal history checks for Fayette County. Citizens can request for such checks by mail. Each criminal history report costs $20. To request a general criminal history check, download and complete the Request for Conviction Records Form. Attach a check or money order for the fee to the completed form and mail the request to:
Kentucky State Police
Criminal Identifications and Records Branch
Criminal Records Dissemination Section
1266 Louisville Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
The Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts also provides criminal record reports for Fayette County. This report is based on historic court records of the subject of the check. Each report costs $25 and can be requested online, in person, or by mail. Visit the AOCFastCheck portal to view requested records online or the One-Time Request website to have a report delivered via U.S. mail. When making a mail-in or in-person request, complete the Criminal Record Request Form and return it to:
Administrative Office of the Courts
Records Unit
1001 Vandalay Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601
Enclose a check or money order for the fee with the completed form. Cash and credit/debit cards are also accepted as means of payment for in-person requests. The office business hours are between 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday through Friday.
Police reports for Fayette County are provided by the police department in the city, borough, or town where the event described in the report occurred. For example, police and accident reports for the City of Lexington, the county seat, are provided by the Lexington Police Department. Request a copy of a police report from this law enforcement agency by mail or in-person at:
Lexington Police Department
Central Records
150 E. Main Street
Lexington, KY 40507
Reports are only provided to individuals involved in the incidents they cover. A requester must provide the following information to obtain a report: case number, name and address of the complainant, date of offense, information about the event, and a valid photo ID. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope when submitting a mail-in request. Copies of reports are provided at 10 cents per page.
Information on registered sex offenders living in Fayette County is contained in the statewide sex offender registry maintained by the KSP. The registry is available online and the public can search for registered sex offenders living in their neighborhoods. To locate a registered sex offender living in Fayette County, search the database by name or a street address in the county. Use the neighborhood search map to find all registered sex offenders living with a 5-mile radius of a home address.
Jail Information
The main correctional facility in the county is the Fayette County Detention Center. The Detention Center has a capacity of 1,266 inmates and it is under the supervision of the county's Division of Community Corrections. Fayette County Detention Center is located at:
600 Old Frankfort Circle
Lexington, KY
(859) 425-2700
Friends and family can deposit funds into an inmate’s accounts at the kiosks in the jail lobby. Cash and card deposits are accepted at these locations. Deposits can also be made online through these services: Smart Deposit, Access Corrections, and My Care Pack. Alternatively, call (866) 394-0490 to make a credit/debit card deposit by phone.
Fayette County Inmate Records
To find information about an inmate incarcerated in the Fayette County Detention Center, use the inmate locator tool on the Lexington City website. Individuals are required to register on the site with a valid email address to be able to access Fayette County inmate records. To determine the current charge of an inmate in custody, call (859) 425-2700.
Court Records
The Circuit Court is the highest trial court in Fayette County. It hears civil cases with over $5,000 in claims and appeal cases from the lower District Court. Fayette County District Court is the court of first hearing for criminal cases and civil matters with less than $5,000 in claims. The addresses and contact details of the courts in the county are:
Fayette County Circuit Court
Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse
120 North Limestone
Lexington, KY 40507
(859) 246-2141 (Civil)
(859) 246-2224 (Criminal)
Fayette County District Court
Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse
150 North Limestone
Lexington, KY 40507
(859) 246-2240 (Civil)
(859) 246-2228 (Criminal/Traffic)
(859) 246-2234 (Juvenile)
(859) 246-2242 (Probate)
(859) 246-2244 (Small Claims)
The Circuit Court Clerk Records maintains the records of both Circuit and District Courts. Public computer terminals and copiers are provided at the Clerk's Office in the Robert Stephens Courthouse to view and copy court records. Copies are made at 25 cents per page, attested copies cost 50 cents each while there is an additional $5 fee per document for certified copies of court records. Docket information on cases heard at Fayette County courts are available for review online on the Kentucky Court of Justice website.
Vital Records
Fayette County divorce records from June 1958 to the present are provided by the Office of Vital Statistics, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS). Each certified copy costs $6 and can be ordered by mail or in-person at:
Vital Statistics
275 East Main Street 1E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621
(502) 564-4212
To order for a divorce certificate, complete the application form (Spanish copy), enclose a check or money order for the fee, and submit the request to the address provided above by mail or in person. The office opens to the public from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. To obtain copies of Fayette County divorce records prior to June 1958, contact the Fayette County Clerk at:
162 East Main Street
Lexington, KY 40507
(859) 253-3344
Fayette County marriage, birth and death records are also provided by the Office of Vital Statistics. Available marriage records at the office are from June 1958 and also cost $6 per copy. Use the same application form above and follow the same process described above to obtain copies of marriage records from the Office of Vital Statistics. For copies of Fayette County marriage records prior to June 1958, contact the county's Clerk Office at the address above.
Copies of Fayette County birth and death records from 1911 to the present are also available at the Office of Vital Statistics. A certified copy of a birth certificate costs $10 while the fee for each copy of a death certificate is $6. To order a copy, download and complete a birth certificate (Spanish copy) or death certificate (Spanish copy) application form. Attach a check or money order for the appropriate fee and return to the Vital Statistics office at the address provided above by mail or in person.
